Amphibian steering mechanism



July 23, 1946. J.M. HAIT 2,404,491

AMPHIBIN STEERING MECHANISM Filed Feb. l5, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIIIIIIL July 23,1946. Q MMT 2,404,491

. AMPHIBIAN STEERINGl MECHANISM Filed Feb. 15, v1945 2 gets-sheet 2 Patented `Iuly 23, n1946 AMPHIBIAN STEERING MECHANISM J ames M. Hait, San Gabriel, Calif., `assignor to Food Machinery Corporation, San Jose, Calif., a corporation of Delaware A Application February 15, 1943, Serial No. 475,931

7 Claims.

4This invention relates to the art of steering water craft and is especially useful on amphibians employed in naval warfare.

Itis an object of the invention to provide a relatively simple means for rendering an amphibian of this type readily dirigible in water.

Much of the traveling of these amphibians in the Water is ata low speed, yet it is desirable that these craft have a relatively high degree of maneuverability in the water, regardless of their speeds.

It is accordingly another object of my invention to provide a steering mechanism for amphibians which is not dependent upon the forward speed of the amphibian through the water for steering the latter.

Amphibians `used in naval warfare frequently must travel onV land through a dense jungle, and must even be run backwards in the midst of a heavy growth of medium sized trees.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a steering mechanism rendering amphibians readily dirigible on water and which will be relatively inaccessible to damage by such land operations.

An amphibian in current use of the type mentioned is operated by means of track-laying traction belts disposed on opposite sides of the craft, which are adapted to be selectively driven by the power plant to maneuver the craft on land and assist in maneuvering it on water.

It is an object of my invention to provide a mechanism for rendering amphibians readily dirigible, which is operated by the same control devices through which the traction belts on the amphibian are selectively controlled and without the necessity of special thought being given to the steering mechanism.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects, as well as further objects and advantages, will be made manifest in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan View of an amphibian equipped with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, said amphibian being shown when said invention is functioning to assist said amphibian in turning to the left.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view partly broken away and illustrating the telescopic spring mounting utilized in saidl invention.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary rear elevational view of a portion of Fig. 1, to illustrate the right-hand deflector of my invention in Operative position.

2 Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3 and with the operating parts similarly positioned.

Referring specically to the drawings, an amphibian l is shown therein which has a hull II providing an engine compartment i2, in which a radial engine I3 is housed, a control cabin I4 being located at the frontend of the craft. Disposed along opposite sides of the hull are tracklaying mechanisms l5 and I6, these being driven by the engine i3 through a drive shaft Il, transmission Ia'l, differential I9, shafts "il and 22, and sprockets 23 and 24. Shafts 2l and 22 arepro- 'vided with brakes 25 and 26 which are controlled around idler sprockets 31 at the stern of the craft.

As the grouser blades 36 come out of the water in which the amphibian I0 isfloating, they create streams of water 33, one of these being discharged rearwardly through the air at all times from each of the mechanisms I5 and l while it is operating at medium or high forward speeds. The creation of such astieam of water 38 by either of the mechanisms l5 or I6 takes place whenever one'of these mechanisms is set in operation as stated, with the craft afloat, and regardless of whether the amphibian Iii is standing still, or whether it is Yunder way at slow speed, or is traveling more rapidly. f

The amphibian I0 is equipped with a steering mechanism 50 which includes control units 5I and 52, and means for connecting these rto levers 2l and 28. The units 5I and 52 are reverse duplicates of each other. A description of unit 5| will therefore suffice for both, reference thereafter to elements of unit 52 being made by using reference numerals applied to corresponding elements in unit 5I, with prime attached.l

Unit 5I includes a boss 55, through which a pin 56 extends on which are pivotally mounted upperl and lower arms 5l and 58 of a swinging member 59. The latter also includes a deflector 60 which rigidly unites the outer ends of the arms 51 and 58. rFormed on the arm 51 about the` upper end of the pin 56, and integral with-said arm, is a control segment 6|` having a groove 82 formed in the arcuate edge thereof.

The arm 58 has a stop shoulder 63 which limits the outward swinging movement of the control member `59. Fixed as by welding on the rear end of the hull is a shelter boxl 65 into which the member 59 tswhen it is swung inwardly about thepin5 6.`

The unit 5| also includes a telescopic spring mechanism 'I0 including an outer shell 1| pivoted on a bolt 12 on the hull a tube 13 sliding within the tube 1| and having a rod 'I4 which is pivotally connected to the segment 6|. Enclosed within the tubes and 13 is a coiled expansion spring 18 which, when unopposed, swings the member 59 about the pin 56 until this member lies within the shelter box 65.

Secured to the hull is a system of cable guiding tubes 80 having pulleys 8| at their joints guiding a cable 82, the rear end of which is fastened to the segment 6| at the rear end of the groove 62 and the forward end of -which is fastened to the bottom end of the lever 28 below the fulcrum of the latter. 'I'his cable is `thus connected so that when the operator pulls upon the lever28 to apply the brake 26 and retard the operation of the track-laying mechanism I6 (which causes an acceleration of the rate of operation of the track-laying mechanism I5) cable 82 is caused to pull upon the member 59 to swing the deflector blade 60 into the stream of water'i38 being produced by the track-laying mechanism I5, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 3 Y and 4.`

When this occurs, the reaction of the stream 38 striking the blade 60 of the member 59 sets up a side thrust outwardly on the rear end of the hull which assists in turning the am-y phibian I to the left as indicated by arrow 84. As soon as the operator releases control lever 28, however, to permit both mechanisms and I6 to be driven at equal rates, the pull on the cable 82 is relaxed and the spring mechanism 'I0 swings the member 59 inwardly to Where it lies Within the shelter box 65.

, In the same manner, rthe segment 6|' Vof the control unit 52 is connected by a cable 82 with v the operating control lever 21 so that when the i latter is pulled backward to apply brake and retard the operation of the propuulsion mechi anism V|5 Vand accelerate the speed at which the mechanism I6 functions, member 5-9 will be il swung outwardly into the position in which it is shown in broken lines in Fig. 1,` where it Ywill intercept the stream of Water 38 then beingexpelled rearwardly through the air from the mechanism I6 so as to set up a side thrust against the rear end of the hull and assist in turning j the amphibian |||Y to the right.

From theioregoing it will be seen-that while traveling straight on-the water the steering mechanism 50 of -my invention does not'inter,` `fere v withl therfree rearward discharge of the streams 38, thereby developing` the maximum for. ward thrust in these streams. Itis furthermore Q n clear that when the amphibian I0 is not turning.,` `members -5-9 and 59 are disposedv within the `shelter bcxes'65 and B5- sothatY thereis little opportunity for-these to become damaged.Y As an amphibian is `seldom turned whiler operatingl 1inV dense jungle, itis thus seen that the steeringimechanism 5050i myinvention is protected fromldamage byvtrees and thelike when-it isnecesf sary for the amphibian-; 'Uf t0 Operate in the.:

1. In a dirigible water craft, the combinationk of Ya hull; propulsion means provided on said hull, said means in its operation discharging a stream of water rearwardly through the air above the surface of the water sustaining said craft;

and a deflector on Vsaid hull associated with said propulsion means to intercept and deilect laterally said stream of water, to assist in the steering ofsaidcraft., Y -Y 2. In a dirigible water craft, the combination of: a hull; propulsion'means provided on` said hull, said means in its operation discharging a stream of water rearwardly through the air above the surface ofthe water sustaining said craft; a deector blade mounted on said hull; and means for moving said blade into and out, of said stream of water to deflect the latter laterally to assist in the steering of said craft.

3. In a dirigible water craft, the combination of a hull; propulsion means provided on said hull, said means 'in its operation discharging water rearwardly; and a deilector mounted on said hull and adapted to be shifted ,into-the path of said discharged water or out of the path'of said discharged water, to assist in the steeringof said craft.

4. In a dirigible water craft,the combination of: ahull; propulsion means provided on opposite sides of said hull, said means in their operation discharging streams of water rearwardly throughA the air above the surface of the water sustaining said craft; a pair of deectors, one ofgwhich is mounted on said hull adjacent to each of said streams and-'means forselectively operating said deflectors to extend one of these into the stream 'v tion discharging streams of rwater rearwardly through the airabove the'surface of the water sustaining said craft; and means associated with said propulsion means tointercept and deflect laterally said streams ofwaterto assist in the steering of said craft.

6. In a Ydirigible water craft, the combination of: a hull; propulsion means provided on opposite sides of said hull, said means in their operation discharging water rearwardly along spaced paths; controllable deflector means provided on said hullrand adapted to` be positioned in said paths to,

deflect laterally the water discharged along said paths as aforesaid, and thereby assistin the steering of said craft; means for driving said propulsion means at the same or diierentspeeds;

and means for coordinatelycontrolling said driv-j ing means and said deector means so that the latter deects inwardly said water which ismdisf'v charged rearwardly by the propulsion, l rnneazris which is traveling at the higher speed.

'7. In an amphibian, the combination of: a hull adapted to support said amphibian in the water; right and left-hand track-laying belts on the op, posite sides of said hull; an endless series oi blades on each of said belts for engaging the water when said amphibian is afloat; power means for driving said belts to propel said am-` phibian through the water, said blades on said belts discharging water rearwardly along spaced paths; means for controlling the driving of said belts so that these may be driven at the same or different speeds; right and left-hand deectors provided on said hull so that each of these is into the path of water discharged by its corresponding belt to function therein, as aforesaid, when said control means is actuated to retard the operation of the other track-laying belt.

JAMES M. HAIT. 

